Before Birth & Beyond

Call Directions Website

Before Birth & Beyond Holistic Health and Wellness Coach pursing my calling into Midwifery. Forever learning and growing.

I enjoy educating others on holistic health, nutrition, and living active lives to improve health and quality of life before, during, and after pregnancy.

Do any of you have a dream you're holding onto?Over the last 7 years, I've now had 7 dreams about our little boy.No, we ...
10/21/2026

Do any of you have a dream you're holding onto?

Over the last 7 years, I've now had 7 dreams about our little boy.

No, we don't have a son.. yet.

I couldn't imagine our lives without our 3 beautiful, smart, funny, down-to-earth girls. I definitely see what God did by giving me those 3, at the timing each of them were born, and how they've grown us in ways we never would without them.

In 2020, I had my first dream of our son. He was BIG (we have big babies, like 9&10lbs).. he looked like 11lbs.. but he was so beautiful.

A few days later my husband had a similar dream, describing "our son" the same way he looked in my dream.

We found out we were pregnant shortly after and I was just set that baby was our son. We waited till the birth to find out the gender, and during that pregnancy, I had several dreams of having a daughter and being surprised! Well we had our daughter breech at home and I was definitely surprised!

I wondered if that dream was from God (I was in fasting when I had it) or if it was just me and subconscious.

So I prayed for God to give me another dream to confirm if we would have a son.

I dreamed that I was pregnant, we had a gender reveal, and there was blue smoke.

The next day I was so happy and I asked God to please let me see him.. I saw him in the first dream.. I wanted to see him again.

I dreamed of a tall handsome teenage boy, taller than me.. he had shaggy dirty blonde hair and I was just crying proud mom tears admiring how handsome he was.

A year or so later I had another dream that someone came over and I was introduced them to our kids.. one by one they came and then there was this little boy.. around 18mo and I couldn't tell the visitors his name because I didn't know it and they were puzzled I didn't know "my son's name." I just looked at him in amazement and asked him what his name was.. and I woke up.

A year ago I dreamed I gave birth to twin girls in the grocery store, totally shocked and amazed. A woman came by and said, oh my! 5 girls! I said yes, but we have a son too.. and he was crawling behind me.
(That was 1/4 dreams of me having twins from myself and 3 others)

I know there is another dream, a just have to remember it before I come back and type it out..

But..

Last night I dreamed I was doing an ultrasound for a mom. My late dad was there with me and before shutting off the machine, I decided to look at my baby (I was just shy of 20wks) and I found the baby's head, followed along the back, and when I got to the baby's bottom.. I said, "Dad! (Slapping his arm) do you see that?!" He looked and we saw boy parts and just started crying.

It felt so real.

So I wonder.. are any of you holding onto a dream?

I truly believe our son will happen one day.. even if he is the 6th kid 😅🫣

I don't think we would have kept going had me ended up a boy any sooner.. and the Lord knows that.. and so we wait.. because our other babies were already thought of and planned by Him with purpose and intent ♡

I trust His plans, His timing, and His will.

Maybe I'm crazy? But if my faith makes me crazy.. I'm okay with that 💁🏼‍♀️

I still am holding on.. to the dreams.. and the socks my dad bought 7 years ago.

In the waiting.. I'm thanking God for my 3 beautiful, healthy girls He has blessed us with. 3 sisters.. living their best lives. When I was little I wanted sisters and close sibling relationships.. I've found healing by being witness to theirs ♡

Soluble fibers are found within plant cells. They are referred to as soluble because they dissolve or expand when place...
10/18/2026

Soluble fibers are found within plant cells. They are referred to as soluble because they dissolve or expand when placed in water or in the gut juices, allowing the large intestine to breakdown and absorb them.

Soluble fibers offer benefits such as:
Weight loss by reducing gastric emptying, helping you feel fuller longer!
Reducing risk for cardiovascular disease by binding to cholesterol particles and removing them from the body.
Bowel movement and intestinal health by drawing water to the intestines.
Diabetes management because the carbohydrates in the plant fibers are not easily absorbed which results in lower blood glucose levels.
Improved absorption of foods by slowing digestion allowing more time for nutrient absorbtion.

Insoluble fibers are usually found on the outsides of the plants, think skins or peels. These are not easily broken down or absorbed by the gut. They mainly provide "ruffage."

The provide benefits such as:
Digestive health (helps keep things moving)
Reduces risks of cancer (as by keeping things getting stuck in GI tract or colon)
Weight loss by helping you feel fuller longer!

Next time you have an option to put plants on your plate, I hope you remember reading this ♡

Happy eating! Happy gut ♡

10/17/2026

It's always a bit comical to "hear" some people's thoughts, perspectives, or beliefs about me.. especially from those who likely don't know me or have never met me.

It's one of those things that can be extremely uncomfortable if you're not use to it, or if you lack confidence in who you are or who you're working on becoming.

There are times where it's definitely uncomfortable, and then there are times when it's just comical.

The beginning of this year, the Lord really put in on my heart that I would learn and practice boundaries, and I would be expanded.

10 months in.. those things have definitely rang true!

For the sake of this specific post though, I want to address the "thought" of me being a "birth keeper."

What is a "birth keeper?"

Honestly.. depending on who you're talking to.. that term could be different for many people.

I hadn't even heard of a birthkeeper until 1.5yrs ago. Basically.. a doula that is unregulated, not certified, unlicensed, etc (these standards are different everyone and constantly changing) who holds space for the sacredness of birth and "deters women from seeking medical treatments or support." They give guidance on labs and blood work and what to do in emergent situations.

While I completely support womens autonomy in birthing however, with whomever they please, I do not make recommendations for others.

I became a doula through Childbirth International.. I paid good money for extensive training and education that is Accredited up to "nursing standards."

Becoming a doula was a stepping stone to midwifery.

That's always been the plan.

A doula does not provide clinical care. They are there for mental, emotional, and physical support, while also educating the parents on options and alternatives in their area when asked, and advocating for the families specific wants and needs.

As far as "recommendations," I don't give them. I provide information and support the parents choices even when I don't agree with them. That's the professionalism of a doula.

If I were to recommend something and the parents did what I said and something bad happened, I could be the one to blame, and I refuse to put myself in that situation as a doula.

Later, I then became a midwives "assistant" to be able to be more hands-on in a clinical manner, something that really sets my heart on fire.

Midwives assistant and doula are 2 different hats.

One works for the midwife, the other works for the parents, but they have similarities when it comes to comfort and support.

Now, I'm a student midwife. I've put my doula hat on the shelf, and am working on helping a couple other students find their way in the doula world through mentorship.

As a student midwife, I very much am training to identify when risks arise and how to appropriately work towards prevention, treatment, and transport in emergencies.

I am so very grateful to medical staff, from EMTs, Paramedics, Nurses, CNMs, and OBs who are respectful and understanding of midwives and the families that choose them when we need higher level care. (I have references for all the above here in East Texas, btw!)

I would NEVER tell a family not to go to the hospital, even if that hospital and staff looks for reasons to shut down and report midwives for the simple fact of facilitating out of hospital births.

Mom and babies survival is the most important part of what we do. Autonomy in that matters as well.

I've been on both sides.

I've been the parent with strong beliefs who made choices according to my own convictions, and I've seen midwives make lifesaving recommendations to be ignored, declined, or respectfully accepted and adhered to.

There are SO MANY LAYERS to all sides of these topics.

But to keep it simple,
I am studying to be a well-trained and educated midwife that wants to have strong healthy relationships and boundaries with other midwives, EMTs, Paramedics, Nurses, CNMs, and OBs to provide the best tailored care to each family that chooses to work with me, WHILE ALSO preservering the birth space and the sacredness of pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period, AND always respecting autonomy with understanding, and being humble enough to say, "I'm not experienced in this" or "this is outside my scope" and doing the work to find someone that can step in when I have to step aside.

Those are called boundaries.

Yes, my first go-to is herbs and God's creation for His creation, but if those don't work, or that's not the preference for that family, we have medicines and other professionals to step in and help.

I'm not wreckless. I'm not ignorant. I don't "know it all," I never will. I will always be learning. It is a sacred honor and privilege to care for women in such a vulnerable transition of life. I will never hold that title with the kind of pride that sets me above "Immunity."

Birth humbles us. This isn't a joke to be played around with, nor the character of those who serve in this manner.

I'm may be a medical rights advocate, health and wellness advocate, faith and nature based in beliefs, holistic at heart, and head-strong in truth, justice, and autonomy, but I'm also humble, gentle, caring, supportive, loving, understanding, and ALWAYS learning.

I don't make assumptions. I ask questions. I seek clarity and truth. I build bridges. I lift up others. I see the best in everyone. I seek to understand "all sides" to work to find solutions.

So no.. I'm not a birthkeeper.

I'm a woman of God, a wife, a mother, and a "woman with women."

I'm a midwife in the making.

-Laurin Farmer, CBE

10/13/2026

A woman never forgets how she was treated while pregnant, in labor, before and during birth, and in those postpartum days and months.

What words of wisdom do you have to share for moms navigating these seasons?

10/13/2026

Your calling will crush you.

BUT!

There is beauty in the crushing.

You gain a deeper love, understanding, and spirit of humility that helps you find gratitude in the smallest things.

Things that you once took for granted are now the reason you want time to stand still and soak in every moment.

3 days serving families was just as gratifying as it was crushing.. because I missed my own family.

I'm home now and I just want to hold, snuggle, and stare at my babies.

So if I'm quiet or MIA, just know I'm focusing on the things that really matter ♡

Here's to being more present and available to my family while I'm home, and to serving the families I have the honor to serve when I'm gone.

Midwifery is a Ministry ♡

10/13/2026

2 beautiful healthy babies born today ♡

Unexpected surprises are always a fun reason to go buy some new scrubs, underwear, and deodorant 😅 you never know how lo...
10/11/2026

Unexpected surprises are always a fun reason to go buy some new scrubs, underwear, and deodorant 😅 you never know how long you might be away from home when you do birth work 🫶🏽

Cold-water fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines) have natural oils that contain Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). EPA is a long-c...
10/10/2026

Cold-water fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines) have natural oils that contain Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).

EPA is a long-chain polyUNSATURATED fatty acid (PUFA) that regulates..

👉inflammation
👉blood clotting
👉blood pressure

Making it an essential need in every diet!

Make a point to fit this in somewhere at least once a week minimum!

There is a lingering assumption that Out Of Hospital (OOH) midwives are not trained or equipped to handle birth emergenc...
10/07/2026

There is a lingering assumption that Out Of Hospital (OOH) midwives are not trained or equipped to handle birth emergencies. The goal is to not have an emergency. This looks like a lot of education on nutrition, hydration, supplementation during pregnancy, looking at and discussing risk factors, identifying early signs, seeking consults with other higher level professionals, or ultimate transferring care before an actual emergency arises.

The healthiest most fit moms and pregnancies can have something unexpected pop up, no matter the setting. Therefore it's advised and required to be educated and to attain training in how to handle these situations.

I've witnessed OOH midwives save lives. I've also witnessed OBs/CNMs save lives.

Both are needed.

Women are going to birth where they choose.

They deserve skilled hands to care for them.

Midwives carry oxygen, IVs, meds, herbs, and hands on skills to prevent, treat, and transport when necessary.

It's important to ask your provider what kind of training they've had, how often they practice or review, what the plan is if something arises, and then decide if that's best for you.

Trust within the provider/client relationship is of utmost importance!

Stay educated. Stay safe.

The choice is yours! Choose well ♡

Address

Lufkin, TX

Telephone

+19364045785

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Before Birth & Beyond posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category